Clearest Blue

While talking about the origins of the song on the Song Exploder podcast, Martin Doherty and Iain Cook explained that the trio originally intended "Clearest Blue" to be a laid-back song with just two chords. Still, because they are notoriously bad at sticking to their own rules, they end up with something completely divergent from those ideas. After coming up with the base sample, they bounced ideas around, with Doherty adding "nonsense vocals" to establish the basic cadences of the song. Lauren Mayberry began writing the lyrics to replace these vocals but found herself frequently concerned that her pessimism would bleed through into the song's lyrics in parts intended to be hopeful. The song is typically described as building and building until it ultimately explodes at its melodic climax, but Doherty described it as more of an analytical climax, and that the vocal approach is not intended to be "super climactic, like punching the air" and that it is better described as a "moment of rest".^[1]

"Clearest Blue" debuted at Ottawa Bluesfest on 15 July 2015 as the opening song of Chvrches' first show since the conclusion of the 2013–2014 The Bones of What You Believe tour.^[2] Chvrches further promoted the song in several live appearances, including at the Pitchfork Music Festival^[3] and The Late Late Show with James Corden.^[4]

"Clearest Blue" received positive acclaim from critics. NME called it "the album's most heart-bursting moment".^[5] A review from Stereogum said this "might be the strongest for a simple reason: it builds and builds and builds and doesn’t break down until you’ve nearly lost faith that it will".^[6] Spin called the song "earnest and danceable" and praised its powerful opening notes, but "the song blossoms about halfway through with a breathtaking breakdown that bursts through the tension they've been building up".^[7]

A music video for the song was released on 19 February 2016.^[8]

"Clearest Blue" is used in the soundtrack of Forza Horizon 3, playing on the in-game radio station Horizon Pulse.^[9] It is also included in the soundtrack to season 1 of The Politician^[10] and in season 1, episode 3 of Netflix's Heartstopper.^[11]